Meet Clariza Ruiz, the CSULB professor who has ran 48 marathons

California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) professor Clariza Ruiz De Castilla ran the Long Beach Marathon in early October, competing in her 48th marathon. 

Ruiz De Castilla has been a faculty member in communication studies for a decade and became a faculty member in Chicano studies in 2022.

She grew up in Hawthorne, Calif. with her parents who both grew up in Lima, Peru. Ruiz de Castilla is still very connected to her Peruvian roots and culture, and visits her father in Peru every year or two.

Ruiz De Castilla found a love for running in high school while on the cross-country team. 

“That gradually developed to running long distances,” she said. “My first marathon was 20 years ago. It was the L.A. Marathon.”

Even though there are plenty of health benefits, she runs to show that no task is too much for her and to prove to herself that she can do anything no matter the difficulty of the task.

A notable highlight for Ruiz De Campo while running the Long Beach Marathon was the portion that ran through CSULB during miles 17-20. 

“I feel like it’s a metaphor for my life because this job is pretty tough too, in a good way,” she said. “Maybe I’m a masochist, but I don’t want easy things, I want things that are hard-earned.”

Ruiz De Castilla after running the Long Beach Marathon. Courtesy of Ruiz De Castilla

Ruiz De Castilla’s advice for a rookie runner or someone who wants to get into running long distances starts with running a short distance, such as a 5K. When it comes to training, the best thing to do is start with a mile, then 3 miles, then 5 miles. Ruiz De Castilla increases her training runs once a week up to 22 miles.

A poster made by an observer at the marathon that says, “Run! The beans are burning!” Courtesy of Ruiz De Castilla 

There are many precautions that runners need to cover before running a marathon. A lot of these precautions are hidden and are not something that an average runner would know. “You need to have lots of glucose, that’s what your body needs, energy,” she said. 

Glucose gummies are something that all runners should carry when competing in a marathon. While many runners resort to candies, Ruiz De Castilla calls that a last resort.

Runners should purchase a shoe size bigger than their normal shoe size. Ruiz De Castilla lost both of her big toes because she did not know this on her first marathon. 

Vaseline is also a must for runners to place on areas of their body that might chafe during the run. Chafing happens most often on armpits, breasts, and thighs.

As for the mental side of running a marathon, Ruiz De Castilla has a playlist full of her favorite songs. She doesn’t care about “annoying” other people, she loves to sing her heart out when she’s running. “That’s what kept me going, that helped me stay motivated to finish,” she said.

Other observers along Ruiz’s path during the Long Beach Marathon. Courtesy of Ruiz De Castilla 

Ruiz De Castilla’s colleague, Chantrey Murphy calls her one of the most genuine, sincere, and aspirational people she’s worked with. Murphy loves how engaged Ruiz De Castilla can get in any conversation. “When you speak with her… she takes interest and invests in what you have to say,” she said.

Murphy also added how Ruiz De Castilla can overcome any challenge, no matter how difficult it may be. “She will do it with grace and the most positive attitude… it’s truly inspirational,” she said.

Another person who has been impacted by Ruiz De Castilla is her sister Christina. She says that a huge part of her work ethic is that she is always striving to get better at whatever she is working on.

Whether in teaching or running, Ruiz De Castilla’s work is brimming with determination. A determination that inspires the people around her and could potentially inspire many more.

Ruiz De Castilla’s work ethic consists of setting goals and striving to achieve them. “Words can’t explain how proud I am of my sister,” Christina said.